Swim-through loop



L. B. QUELLO SWIM-THROUGH LOOP Filed Dec. 7, 1

June 6, 1967 INVENTOR. L/o/vzz. 5. QUELLO BY (Jiljon, 5 e1? 12 8; Crazy ,qrfaz/ c'xs United States Patent 3,323,795 SWIM-THROUGH LOOP Lionel B. Quello, 25978 Dover, Detroit, Mich. 48239 Filed Dec. 7, 1964. Ser. No. 416,523 7 Claims. (Cl. 272-1) This invention relates to an aquatic obstacle useful for swimming instruction or as an amusement device.

parts broken away and shown in section of a modified form of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away or shown in section of still another embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiments of FIGURES l and 2, the aquatic obstacle includes .a buoyant member which takes the form of an elongate cylindrical body of a buoyant material, as for example styrofoam. A frame 12 of U-shaped configuration is secured to and extends downwardly from the opposite ends of buoyant member 10, the ends of frame 12 projecting into bores 14 in buoyant member 10 and being secured to member 10 by .a suitable waterproof bonding agent. In the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2 a downwardly projecting ridge 16 extends along the bottom of buoyant member 10 between the opposite legs of frame 12. Ridge 16 may be formed integrally with 10 or may be formed separately and fixedly bonded within a slot in the lower side of member 10.

Frame 12 preferably consists of a length of hollow tubular plastic material and serves to support a panel designated generally 18 which extends across the entire area enclosed by member 10 and frame 12. In the embodiment of FIGURE 1, panel 18 consists of two layers 20 and 22 of plastic sheeting which are adhesively bonded along their upper edges 24 to the opposite sides of ridges 16. The outer peripheral edges 26 of layers 20 and 22 are bonded to each other, as by a continuous heat seal, along the outer periphery of frame 12 so that the two layers form an envelope which encloses frame 12 below buoyant member 10. The two layers 20 and 22 are also heat sealed to each other at spaced locations along the inner side of frame 12 along the curved region as at 28.

A circular opening 30 is cut through both panels and the edges of the panels along the periphery of the openlugs 30 are bonded to each other by a continuous heat seal in the peripheral region 32.

In use, buoyant member 10 supports the assembly with frame 12 and panel 18 submerged so that opening 30 defines an opening through which a swimmer can pass by swimming under water. To regulate the buoyancy and to further stabilize the assembly so that frame 12 is reasonably stable within a vertical plane, the interior of the hollow tubular member which defines frame 12 can be partially filled with sand 34 or some other material to a degree sufficient to weight the lower end of the device. If desired, ears such as 36 may be secured at appropriate locations so that the device may be anchored at a desired position in the water.

Patented June 6, 1967 The embodiment of FIGURES 3 and 4 differs from that of FIGURES 1 and 2 primarily in the construction of buoyant member 10 and its relationship to the frame and panel. In the embodiments of FIGURES 3 and 4, a buoyant member 40 of elongate cylindrical configuration is formed with a groove 42 which extends the entire length of the lower side of member 40. The upper ends of the hollow tubular frame-member 44 are bent inwardly at right angles as at 46 to be received within the grooves. The panel 48 of the FIGURES 3 and 4 embodiments is formed into layers from a single piece of sheet material which, as best viewed in FIGURE 4, is folded over the top of portions 46 of the frame so that no seam exists along the upper edge of the assembled panels. A continuous heat seal as at 50 extends around the periphery of panel 48 at the outer side of frame 44 so that, as in the previous embodiment, frame 44 is enclosed within an envelope defined by the two layers of the panel. The dimensions of groove 42 are chosen to be such that they snugly and firmly grip frame portion 46 when the frame portions are forced into the groove. A suitable adhesive bonding material between portions 46 and between the surface of panel 48 and groove 42 is employed t firmly bond the elements to each other.

Apart from the construction described above, the remaining portions of the embodiments of FIGURES 3 and 4 is similar to the corresponding portions of the FIGURES 1 and 2 embodiment, hence the opening through panel 48 and the lower portion of frame 44 has not been illustrated.

A third embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 5 which likewise differs from the embodiment of FIGURE 1 primarily in the construction of the buoyant member and the relationship between the frame, panel and buoyant member.

In the FIGURE 5 embodiment, the buoyant member takes the form of an elongate hollow air bag 60 which is provided with an inflation valve 62 of suitable construction so that the bag 60 may be inflated or deflated. In the embodiment of FIGURE 5, the frame 64 is formed with upper portions 66 which extend into abutment with each other so that the hollow tubular member which defines frame 64 extends completely around the enclosed area beneath the buoyant member. The two ends of the frame are coupled to each other as by a dowel 68 seated in the abutted ends and fixedly secured to each of the abutted ends.

Because the frame 64 in the FIGURE 5 embodiment is continuous, a single layer panel 70 may be employed which is bonded along its periphery to frame 64.

Alternatively, a double layer panel constructed in a fashion similar to that of the embodiment of FIGURE 3 may be employed. The assembled frame 64 and panel 70 are secured to bag 60 by any suitable means such as strap and buckle assemblies 72.

While three embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary rather than limiting, and true scope of the invention is that defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An aquatic obstacle comprising a horizontally elongate buoyant member, frame means secured to and extending downwardly from the opposite ends of said buoyant member to define the boundary of an enclosed area within a vertical plane extending downwardly from said buoyant member, and a panel secured to said frame means and extending entirely across said area, said panel having an opening therethrough of a size large enough to permit a swimmer to swim through said opening.

2. An aquatic obstacle as defined in claim 1 wherein said buoyant member comprises an inflatable pneumatic bag.

3. An aquatic obstacle comprising a horizontally elongate buoyant member, a hollow tubular frame member of U-shaped configuration secured to and extending downwardly from the opposite ends of said buoyant member to define the boundary of an enclosed area within a vertical plane extending downwardly from said buoyant member, weight means located in the lower portion of said frame member to maintain said frame in a substantially vertical position when said Obstacle is floating, and a panel secured to said frame means and extending entirely across said area, said panel having an opening therethrough of a size large enough to permit a swimmer to swim through said opening.

4. An aquatic obstacle as defined in claim 3 wherein said buoyant member comprises a solid cylindrical member of buoyant material, said cylindrical member having upwardly extending radial bores adjacent each end thereof, the upper ends of said frame member being received in said bores and fixedly secured therein.

5. An aquatic obstacle as defined in claim 4 further comprising a downwardly projecting ridge on said cylindrical member extending longitudinally between said bores, said panel comprising two layers of sheet material bonded to each other around the outer periphery of said frame member to enclose and envelope said frame member, means bonding said layers along their upper edges to the opposite sides of said ridge, and means bonding said layers to each other around the periphery of said opening.

6. An aquatic obstacle comprising a horizontally elon- 4 gate buoyant member, a hollow tubular frame secured to and extending downwardly from the opposite ends of said buoyant member to define the boundary of an enclosed area within a vertical plane extending downwardly 7 from said buoyant member, said frame having a generally U-shaped lower portion and integral upper portions turned inwardly at right angles at the upper end of each leg of the U-shaped lower portion, a panel'of a double layer of sheet material enveloping said frame means and extending entirely across said area, said panel having an opening therethrough of a size large enough to permit a swimmer to swim through said opening, and means bonding the layers of the panel to each other around the periphery of said opening.

7. An aquatic obstacle as defined in claim 6 wherein said buoyant member is a solid cylindrical member of buoyant material, said cylindrical member having a longitudinally extending slot in its lower side snugly receiving said upper portions of said frame, and means securing said upper portions of said frame within said slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD c. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN AQUATIC OBSTACLE COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY ELONGATE BUOYANT MEMBER, FRAME MEANS SECURED TO AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BUOYANT MEMBER TO DEFINE THE BOUNDARY OF AN ENCLOSED AREA WITHIN A VERTICAL PLANE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID BUOYANT MEMBER, AND A PANEL SECURED TO SAID FRAME MEANS AND EXTENDING ENTIRELY ACROSS SAID AREA, SAID PANEL HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH OF A SIZE LARGE ENOUGH TO PERMIT A SWIMMER TO SWIM THROUGH SAID OPENING. 